Defense Secretary Sean Austin revokes plea deal with accused 9/11 defendants.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has overridden a plea agreement reached earlier this week for the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and two other defendants, reinstating them as death penalty cases.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Sean Austin Press Release
Immediate Release
Secretary Austin Signs Memo Withdrawing From the Pre-Trial Agreements in the 9/11 Military Commission Cases
Aug. 2, 2024 |
Today, Secretary Austin signed a memo reserving for himself the specific authority to enter into pre-trial agreements with the accused in the 9/11 military commission cases. In addition, as the superior convening authority, the Secretary has also withdrawn from the pre-trial agreements that were signed in those cases. The memo can be found here.
MEMORANDUM FOR SUSAN ESCALLIER, CONVENING AUTHORITY FOR MILITARY
COMMISSIONS
SUBJECT: Authority to Enter into Pre-Trial Agreements in United States v. Khalid Shaikh
Mohammad et al. (United States v. Khalid Shaikh Mohammad; United States v.
Wal id Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin ‘Attash; United States v. Mustafa Ahmed
Adam Al Hawasawi; United States v. Ramzi Binalshibh; and United States v. Ali
Abdul Aziz Ali)
I have determined that, in light of the significance of the decision to enter into pre-trial
agreements with the accused in the above-referenced case, responsibility for such a decision
should rest with me as the superior convening authority under the Military Commissions Act of
2009. Effective immediately, I hereby withdraw your authority in the above-referenced case to
enter into a pre-trial agreement and reserve such authority to myself.
Effective immediately, in the exercise of my authority, I hereby withdraw from the three
pre-trial agreements that you signed on July 31, 2024, in the above-referenced case.